Asphalt patching systems are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,263,790 issued Nov. 23, 1993 and 5,419,654 issued May 30, 1995, teach a patcher comprising a motor driven, wheeled vehicle having a gravel hopper and a storage tank for liquid emulsion, such as asphalt, as well as pressurized conduits for respectively advancing gravel and asphalt to a mixing head. The asphalt emulsion is delivered from the storage tank to the mixing head by feed lines. The mixing head is arranged to extend from a free end of a swingably mounted, telescoping boom, which is moveable in both horizontal and vertical planes as well as being selectively extendable and retractable to expedite desired positioning of the mixing head above a roadway surface to be patched. The pressurized conduits may also be initially employed to blow debris from the pothole or crevice being patched whereupon an emulsion such as asphalt, with or without aggregate, is delivered to the mixing head. The need for rolling or tamping is eliminated by the use of high-pressure air.
The feed lines carrying the asphalt emulsion must be cleaned on a regular basis, typically at least once per day.
Present day techniques for repairing a pothole after it is cleared of debris, includes:
a) clearing debris from the pothole;
b) coating the pothole surface with an emulsion;
c) filling pothole with admixed emulsion and a suitable aggregate; and
d) coating top surface of the filled pothole with pulverized stone.
Due to the need to return roadways to use as quickly as possible after a repair operation, it is nevertheless disadvantageous to use a top coat of pulverized stone since tires of passing vehicles often kick up the pulverized stones into other vehicles causing damage to front, rear or side windows doors, fenders and the like. Also the top layer of crushed stone contrasts with the darker, surrounding road surface.
It is therefore desirable to provide method and apparatus for repairing a pothole which enables immediate use of the repaired surface while preventing damage to vehicles passing along the repaired surface. In addition, the apparatus described herein is capable of performing the novel method requiring a minimal amount of operator intervention.
In addition, it is also highly desirable to reclaim the emulsion from the conduits for reuse.